Characterization of fresh and hardened state properties of grouts for use in structural masonry

Abstract

Grout is a material usually applied to enhance the mechanical properties of structural masonry. As such, the demand for grout has been growing parallel to the demand for structural masonry. Without guidelines for grout mixing design, these products are often prepared on-site based on the same concepts used for preparing ordinary Portland cement-based concretes. Several grout properties still need to be investigated and understood due to this mixing-design approach, and consequently, the production of ecoefficient grouts is a secondary priority. Due to these obstacles, there is a demand for technical-scientific studies to aid with developing grout design guidelines. This work evaluates the rheological and hardened properties of grout compositions that simulate in-field conditions to show the inadequacy of the mixing design method and a way to understand this lack in the technology. The research investigates how the changes in the water-to-cement ratio, to increase the strength, would affect the fresh and hardened state properties of grouts for structural masonry. The grout’s mixing was done in a rheometer which made it possible to determine the rheological behaviour and parameters during mixing and under different shear conditions. Compressive strength, porosity, and air-permeability were evaluated in the hardened state. The results showed that compositions with more cement content does not necessarily reflect enhanced mechanical properties since the differences were not statistically significant, because other variables were also changed. The research findings suggest that the design method used in practice may not be appropriate and potentially result in the waste of cementitious materials and no-eco-friendly compositions.